How to get more likes on Instagram: where do you start?
How to get more likes on Instagram is one of the most common questions new accounts ask. The good news is that Instagram has said in public what it looks at. The steps in this guide build on those statements, not on guesswork.
Three statements matter most:
| Date | What Instagram said | What it means for likes |
|---|---|---|
| 2023, Instagram Ranking Explained | Feed ranking predicts whether you will spend a few seconds on a post | Posts need to stop the scroll |
| 2023, same article | Explore ranks most on likes, saves and shares | Reactions help new people find you |
| January 2025 | Watch time, likes and sends are the top three signals | Likes are a direct ranking signal |
So more likes come from two things: more people seeing the post, and more of those people reacting. The 15 steps below cover both.
Steps 1 to 4: how do you make posts people want to like?
1. Open with your strongest moment
The first second decides whether people stay. On a Reel, start with the result, the surprise or the punchline. On a photo, lead with the clearest image. Feed ranking predicts whether people will spend a few seconds on a post, so the opening carries the most weight.
2. Make one clear point per post
A post that tries to say five things says nothing. Pick one idea, one tip or one feeling. People like what they understand at a glance.
3. Test every format
Single photos, carousels and Reels suit different ideas. A step-by-step tip fits a carousel. A quick moment fits a Reel. Try each format with the same topic and compare likes per reach in Insights.
4. Keep Reels under three minutes for new viewers
Reels can now run up to 20 minutes, but Instagram's help page says Reels over 3 minutes won't be recommended to new audiences. If you want people outside your followers to see and like a Reel, keep it shorter than that.
Steps 5 to 8: how do you show posts to more people?
5. Post when your audience is awake
Instagram's advice is to post when your audience is awake and most active. Insights shows follower activity once you have at least 100 followers. Check it, then post at the start of the busy window.
6. Post on a steady rhythm
Followers see more of an account that shows up often. Pick a pace you can keep, such as three posts a week, and stick to it for a few months.
7. Keep reposts switched on
Since August 6, 2025, people can repost public Reels and feed posts. A repost can reach the reposter's followers, even people who do not follow you, and you keep the credit. Check that it is on: Profile, Menu, Sharing and reuse, then Reposts on posts and reels.
8. Allow resharing to Stories
In the same Sharing and reuse menu, keep Posts and reels to stories switched on. Then viewers can add your post to their Story, and their followers can see who first posted it.
Steps 9 to 12: how do you turn viewers into likers?
9. Ask one simple question
End the caption with one easy question, such as "Which one would you pick?" A question gives people a reason to stop and react, not just scroll.
10. Reply to comments early
A quick reply shows people that someone is listening. It keeps the conversation going while the post is still fresh, and it gives the person who commented a reason to come back.
11. Make posts worth sending
Sends are one of the three top signals, and they count a little more with people who do not follow you yet. Useful tips, relatable moments and clear how-tos are the posts people send to a friend.
12. Share your own post to your Story
Tap Share under the post, then Add to story, Next and Share. Followers who missed the post in their feed get a second chance to see it and like it.
Steps 13 to 15: how do you measure and repeat what works?
13. Track likes per reach, not just likes
Mosseri told creators to check likes per reach. Open a post, tap View insights, and note Viewers. Then divide the like count by that number. Here is the plain maths: 30 likes from 300 viewers is 10 per 100. 60 likes from 1,200 viewers is 5 per 100. The first post earned more likes per person, even with fewer likes in total.
14. Copy your top three posts
Every month, find your three posts with the best likes per reach. Write down what they share: topic, format, opening, length. Make your next posts in the same shape.
15. Change one thing at a time
If you change the topic, the format and the posting time all at once, you cannot tell which change helped. Test one change across three or four posts, then keep it or drop it.
Which steps matter most for each format?
Not every step fits every post. This table shows where to focus first.
| Format | First steps to try | Number to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Reels | 1, 4, 7, 11 | Average watch time and likes per reach |
| Carousels | 2, 3, 9 | Likes per reach |
| Single photos | 1, 2, 12 | Likes per reach |
| Every format | 5, 6, 10, 13 | Interactions in Insights |
Reels have their own extra steps around hooks, length and sound. The guide on how to get more likes on Instagram Reels covers them in detail.
How do you put the 15 steps into a first week?
Fifteen steps at once is a lot. Spread them over one week and they become simple habits.
| Day | What to do | Steps |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Switch the account to public, turn on reposts and Story resharing | 7, 8 |
| Day 2 | Check Insights for when your followers are active | 5 |
| Day 3 | Plan three posts, one per format, each with one clear point | 2, 3 |
| Day 4 | Post the first one with a strong opening and a question | 1, 9 |
| Day 5 | Reply to every comment, then share the post to your Story | 10, 12 |
| Day 6 | Post the second one, kept short if it is a Reel | 4, 11 |
| Day 7 | Work out likes per reach for each post and note the winner | 13, 14 |
After the first week, keep the rhythm from step 6 and test one change at a time, as in step 15. Each week then teaches you something new about what your audience likes.
What mistakes cost you likes?
Some habits quietly hold posts back. Watch for these:
- A private account. Only approved followers see your posts, so fewer people can like them.
- Reposts switched off. You lose a way for others to carry your post to their followers.
- A slow opening. People scroll past before the good part arrives.
- Judging one post. A single result proves little. Look at several posts before you change course.
- Chasing likes alone. Instagram also weighs watch time and sends. A post people watch and send tends to collect likes too.
Where do paid likes fit in?
These 15 steps are free and they build up over time. Some accounts also add paid likes to one key post, such as a launch or a big Reel. If you weigh that option, read how to buy Instagram likes first, including the rules on buying likes. Meta's spam policy bans buying or selling engagement, and the US FTC rule 16 CFR Part 465 bans buying or selling fake indicators of influence for a commercial purpose.
On Rizula, likes for one post start at $0.99 for 100, and the order form shows the total before you send anything. US accounts can read the guide to USA Instagram likes for prices in dollars and the FTC rule. Either way, the steps above come first, because they make every post easier to like.